Bring 3 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil. Add Orecchiette and cook until tender. In the meantime cook asparagus in a large sauté pan with a ½ cup of water until tender, and the water has evaporated. Add butter, and melt over medium heat. Add prosciutto, and stir for one minute. Then add cream, and simmer until reduced by half. Then add cooked pasta. Turn off heat and add Parmigiano cheese. Then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ultimate Cheater Pulled Pork by Joe Hernandez

(From June 14, 2014)

Serves 12

For the Pulled Pork – Ingredients

One 5 – 6 pound boneless Boston butt pork roast

1/4 cup Cheater Basic Dry Rub (recipe below)

1/2 cup bottled liquid smoke

Barbecue sauce of your choice

For the Cheater Basic Dry Rub – Ingredients

1/4 cup paprika

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dry mustard

For the Pulled Pork – Procedure

1 Cut the pork butt into medium (2 to 3 inch) chunks

2 Put the pieces in a large slow cooker (5 quart minimum). Sprinkle the meat with the rub, turning the pieces to coat evenly. Add the bottled smoke.

3 Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or on low for 10 to 12 hours, until the meat is pull-apart tender and reaches an internal temperature of 190 F.

4 Using tongs and a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a rimmed platter or baking sheet. Let rest until cool enough to handle. Pull the meat into strands (it should shred very easily). Serve the barbecue piled on buns with your favorite barbecue sauce.

For the Dry Rub – Procedure

1 Combine all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to blend.

Notes

To serve the barbecue later, cover and refrigerate the meat when it has cooled. Pour the meat juice into a separate container and refrigerate. Before reheating the juice, skim and discard the congealed fat layer at the top.

To reheat the barbecue, place it in a saucepan moistened with some of the reserved juice. Gently heat the meat on medium-low, stirring occasionally.

While the meat warms, combine the barbecue sauce and some of the additional reserved meat juice in a saucepan. Heat through and serve with the barbecue.

better hens and gardens – http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/

Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Brisket by Joe Hernandez

(From June 14, 2014)

Beef brisket is rubbed down with spices and cooked low and slow in an amazing barbecue sauce.

FOR THE BARBECUE SAUCE:
Combine the Ketchup, dark brown sugar, water, onion, minced chipotles, vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic powder and black pepper. Whisk until the brown sugar is dissolved and then pour it into the slow cooker.

Slice the brisket in half and rub the entire thing with the seasoning. Drop it into your slow cooker with the barbecue sauce in the bottom, secure the lid and set your slow cooker to low and cook for 10-12 hours.

Remove the brisket to a cutting board and either shred or slice.

Pour the sauce from the crock-pot into a large bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Once the fats float to the top, use a spoon and skim it off and discard.

Add the shredded beef brisket back into the crock-pot and the skimmed barbecue sauce and keep warm until ready to serve.

FOR THE SANDWICHES:

I toast 6-8 sturdy, crusty hoagie rolls under the broiler for a few minutes.

Top with a heaping amount of saucy shredded beef brisket and a slice of smoked {or non smoked} provolone cheese. Place the sandwiches back under the broiler until the cheese has melted and then top the whole thing with sautéed onions and pickled jalapenos {if you want} and serve! Truly the onions make it work.